Oral administration of pharmaceutical formulations comprising an active pharmaceutical ingredient with an unpleasant taste remains a technical challenge, in particular, children show a very bad compliance towards bitter formulations. Taste masked formulations have been developed to improve patient compliance
However, taste-masked formulations typically only work well for solid dosage forms. If liquid drug mixtures are used or in the case of high doses, i.e. large amounts substance to be swallowed, taste-masked formulations typically don't work that well.
In EP 0 840 591 B1, a delivery system for the oral application of an active agent formulation is described, in which a formulation chamber comprises the agent formulation retained by a retainer. For oral application, one end of the container is immersed in liquid, while the other end is applied to the patient's mouth. Comparable to the use of a straw, the patient draws the drink into the container and the retainer allows a fluid to flow through the container, while the agent formulation is carried away together with the drink flowing through the straw. For both, filling of the container with the formulation to be administered and emptying of the container by the patient, the same end is used. Further, the retainer moves through the container together with the flow entering into the container. Both ends of the container are crimped for preventing the release of the retainer.
For consummation, a cap has to be removed from one end such that the active agent in the container can be sucked through the opened end. In particular in case of incorrect use, for example by tilting or shaking the container, at least a part of the active agent can be lost. In addition, the location of the retainer is used as an indicator if the agent has been consumed completely, such that the device has to be thrown away after use. Moreover, the amount of formulation to be administered is determined by the initial filling step and cannot be in any way adapted by the patient according to his or her individual characteristics.
FR 1 092 894 A discloses to feed a substance which is disposed in an annular chamber between an inner tube and an outer tube via conduits to a central bore. In this central bore, the substance can be nebulised with pressureised air which is fed from above by a pump actuation via a check valve.
FR 1 121 192 A discloses a dosing device having a one-way valve for portioned administering of a substance contained in the dose device. In the stand-up position of the device, a given dose portion of a liquid accumulates in a chamber of an inner container. After turning around the device, the one-way valve closes by abutment of an annular wall of the inner container to an annular receptacle. The does portion of the liquid substance then can be extracted via a suction opening in a mouth piece.
It is an object of the invention to provide a mechanism for oral application of a substance with enhanced handling properties and which in particular is suitable for multiple use.